THE FASCINATION OF FALLING.

Lake County Press, Issue 1063, 7 May 1903, Page 3

THE FASCINATION OF FALLING.

Professor Heirn, of Zurich, maintains that death from falling from a lofty height is a pleasant means of ending existence. Professor Heirn fell and slid down a mile in the Alps some years ago. He slipped on a snow-covered crag and fell feet first. The wind dashed him against an inclined cliff, and he slid down this on his back, head first for nearly a mile, lacerating his hands in the attempt to check his speed. Throughout all this sliding and falling his thoughts were clear and his ears delighted with celestial harmonies. He" thought of the shock when he should strike bottom, and he foresaw that his opening lecture at the university five days thence would have to be postponed or nbandoned. When he struck the ground he clearly heard the sharp orack of his head and the thud of his body. It seemed to him that a big black object was rushing past him, and he cried out : "It didn't hurt me a bit ! It didn't hurt me a bit ! " Great was his surprise to learn that his exclamation was not uttered until after half an hour of unconsciousness. A labourer who fell 120 ft. and survived, said his whole life passedj jefore him as he) descended, and .hat his most forcible thought was .hat his wife and children would be eft penniless. A lady who fell .six itories during a fire, said : " I was ;hoking. 1 was sure that I was gong to my death, but I did not lose* •onsciousness not even for a minute. »Iy mind worked clearly. When I struck the awning I thought, "Well, his isn't the pavement,' and when 1 lid off the awning into the firenan's net I was surprised when they isked me if I was hurt." A remarkable fall of a miner 338 eet down a shaft is recorded. Whilst working in a gallery vhich issued in the shaft, he orgot the direction in which he was lushing the truck, so that it went »ver and he went after it. lie tell nto mud, not deep, but covered by iins. of water. He did not lose onsciousness. But he could recall one of his impressions during hia ill. The velocity of his falling ody would have been about 140 ft. second and the time .he was falling .11 seconds. Had he lost conciousness he would have been swffoated in the mud or drowned, for is brother did not reach him for 0 minutes, lie, hewwer. recoverd.~-' Science Siitfu^f." U&36) B